Football news - Moise Kean scores on debut as Italy overcome Finland in Euro 2020 qualifier

Juventus wonderkid Moise Kean scored on his competitive debut as Italy kicked off their European Championship qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Finland.

The Azzuri came into the game with just one victory in six, but they made the perfect start when Nicolo Barella's venomous shot took a huge deflection off Sauli Vaisanen and flew past the helpless Lukas Hradecky.

Nineteen-year-old Kean showed signs of his quality in the first-half, with the flying-flanker almost laying on a goal for fellow debutant Cristiano Piccini who couldn't quite direct his shot on target at the far post.

Italy led at the break with their only shot on target, but Finland began to grow in confidence after the restart.

With the hosts showing signs of nerves, Norwich's talisman Teemu Pukki spurned a gilt-edged chance to level the scores, firing wide from 10 yards out.

The visitors would rue that huge miss, with the best player on the park, Kean marking a night to remember with a cool finish after fine work by Ciro Immobile.

The victory moves Roberto Mancini's side to second in the pool behind Greece who defeated Liechtenstein, the Azzuri's next opponents on Tuesday, 2-0 earlier in the day.

Kean makes his mark on an impressive debut. It has been almost two years since the Azzuri scored more than once in a competitive game, but with the introduction of Kean on the flank, Italy appear a much more threatening unit in attack. The teenager's directness, raw pace and ability to take on players will add a new dimension to Italy's game - and he clearly has an eye for goal, too. For too long, they have been missing a player of his quality.

Moise Kean (Italy): The teenager lit up Italy's attack with a memorable display. Mancini has a real player in his hands, it seems.

Italy: Donnarumma 6, Piccini 6, Bonucci 6, Chiellini 7, Biraghi 7, Verratti 7, Jorginho 6, Barella 8,Bernardeschi 6, Immobile 7, Kean 9. Subs: Spinazzola N/A, Quagliarella N/A, Zaniolo N/A.

Finland: Hradecky; Granlund, Toivio, Arajuuri, Pirinen; Lod, Kamara, Sparv, S Vaisanen; Pukki, Hamalainen. Subs: Soiri N/A, Karjalainen N/A, Lappalainen 5.

7' - GOAL! Italy 1-0 Finland. Italy make the perfect start! Finland don't clear their lines from Verratti's free-kick on the left flank. It falls to Barella whose venomous volleyed effort from the edge of the box takes a huge deflection off Vaisanen which takes it past the helpless Hradecky.

12' - CHANCE! Excellent wing-play from Kean! After a couple of stepovers, the youngster's turn of pace takes him past his marker and he stands up a cross to Piccini at the far post, but the fellow debutant can't direct his shot on target.

66' - FINLAND CHANCE! Considering his form, you would fancy Pukki to score here! The Norwich defenders escapes the attention of Bonucci to meet Lod's cross but he gets his angles wrong and fires wide from 10 yards!

74' - GOAL! Italy 2-0 Finland. Kean scores on his competitive debut! Italy's best player of the night, the 19-year-old has a goal to mark a night to remember! Immobile runs from midfield, threads a ball through to the Juventus wonderkid who makes no mistake with a cool finish from 12 yards.

85' - OFF THE CROSSBAR! What an impact Quagliarella is making for the Italians! He's denied by the woodwork with a shot coming off the right flank.